Are the many stars without makeup campaigns finally having an effect? Or could it be down to the return of nineties grunge on catwalks and style blogs?

Whatever the reason, The Huffington Postrecently reported on a study that young women seem to be wearing less makeup. And we're not talking about 'no make-up' looks that take 14 products to perfect. Turns out that right now, plain ol' untouched skin is in. The study quoted said for women aged 18 to 25, 67 per cent of them used only zero to three products in their morning hair and beauty routine.

And in the admittedly small age range surveyed there was also evidence that the older women got, the more they were likely to ditch multiple cosmetic products for a bare face. Of the 21-year-olds surveyed 24 per cent used eight to 12 beauty products in the morning, while for 25-year-old women 72 per cent of them used only zero to three products.

Paradoxically this doesn't seem to be reflected in the actual sales of beauty products. Just last year US prestige beauty sales were reported to by market research firm NPD group to have climbed 7.8 per cent.

So are our cosmetic cases stuffed to the brim with illuminators, eyebrow pencils and lip liners, while for everyday occasions we just tend to use our favourite mascara, tinted moisturiser or nothing at all?

We wouldn't be surprised, after all it's basically the cosmetic equivalent of having 19 pairs of varyingly shaded blue jeans, but always picking out the one favourite pair over and over again until the butt wears out.